Assessing influence of positive deviance and collaborative Learning on improving cassava production and marketing in Nyando climate-smart villages, Kisumu County, Kenya

Abstract

Nyando Climate Smart Village (CSV) is a multi-stakeholder Collaborative Learning Platform facilitated co-testing and co-development of a portfolio of climate smart technologies to empower farmers to respond to changing and variable climate risks. However, field surveys suggested that majority of the farmers have abandoned the technologies, suggesting that only a few could be benefiting with the worsening exposure to climate risks. Though collaborative learning may have failed to empower farmers, a phenomenon pointing to positive deviance behaviour is emerging, indicating possibility of viable solutions being present within local communities by positive deviant farmers who outperform positively compared to the typical majority. This study aimed to understand the influence of positive deviance and collaborative learning on fostering cassava production and marketing in Nyando CSVs of Kenya. The specific objectives were to determine how different typical farmers are compared to positive deviant farmers in adopting, abandoning and knowledge gained from climate smart cassava production and marketing; and how functions of innovation systems and collaborative learning have fostered climate smart cassava production and marketing in Nyando CSVs . The study implemented Participatory Action Research that integrated a household survey, Focus Group Discussion, Key informant interviews and collaborative learning forum (CLF). A sample of 150 farmers were reached out of which, six farmers were identified by peers as positive deviants (PDs) in climate smart cassava innovations. Data analysis was descriptive and inferential with Chi-square tests, logistic regression and best-worst score computation. Positive deviant farmers were distinctively different from typical farmers in adopting, abandoning and realising gains from climate smart cassava production and marketing. Compared to typical farmers, positive deviant farmers replaced local cassava varieties, allocated more land to improved varieties, and improved postharvest handling and cassava value addition. Unlike typical farmers, positive deviant farmers were less likely to abandon climate smart cassava innovations. They also attained relatively higher production, diversification, adaptability, productivity, marketable surplus and food security. Fostering of cassava production and marketing was relatively more important with knowledge development (19.17%), knowledge diffusion (18.86%) and resource mobilisation (14.88%). Collaborative learning had greatest improvement in knowledge about viable cassava seed cuttings, use of inputs, intercropping cassava with other crops, value addition and linkage to processors. These results demonstrate that positive deviance and collaborative learning can foster cassava production and marketing in Climate-Smart Villages. The study recommends strengthening extension service linked to farmer networks and proactively involving positive deviant farmers in promoting climate smart cassava innovations to empower farmers better against climate related risks.